Label dispenser



July 17, 1962 A. P. KRUEGER 3,044,535

LABEL DISPENSER Filed March 10, 1960 TNV EN TOR ATTORNEYS d ta s Thisinvention relates to label dispensers and more particularly todispensing labels supplied in strip form and mounted upon a backingstrip to which the labels lightly adhere, the labels being provided withpressuresensitive material on the side adjacent the backing strip.

In dispensing labels of this character the backing strip is drawn fromthe dispenser and bent sharply over a projecting edge in order to stripthe labels themselves from the backing strip, the labels tending toissue from the machine in the direction in which they are presented tothe edge over which the backing strip is bent.

As illustrated, the backing strip is drawn from the machine by the userwho grasps the end of the strip and draws it from the device around thestripping edge. When a label has been stripped from the material, theoperator grasps it with his fingers and applies it to the article orpackage to be labeled. It will be understood, however, that theinvention is applicable to a device wherein rollers or other feedingmeans may be provided to draw the backing strip with the labels adheringthereto from the machine.

In devices of this kind where the backing strip is bent or turned over asharp edge, some inconvenience is usual- 1y encountered in threading thestrip through the machine. It is contemplated by the present inventionto provide means for guiding the backing strip over the edge aroundwhich it is bent, which means may be displaced or moved to anout-of-the-way position so that the strip may be readily threadedthrough the machine so as to occupy an operative position readily andconveniently, and thereafter this guiding means may be moved to theposition which it occupies during operation of the device.

One object of the present invention is to provide'a new and improvedlabel dispenser for dispensing labels mounted upon a backing strip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a label dispenser of thecharacter described which shall be of very simple construction andwherein the backing strip together with the strip of labels thereon maybe readily and conveniently threaded through the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a I label dispenserof the character described having means for mounting a supply roll oflabels mounted upon a backing strip and wherein the backing strip may bereadily threaded through the machine when a new supply of labels hasbeen placed therein, the machine itself being of simple and inexpensivecharacter.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a label dispense embodying myinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device;

FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the front portion of the dispensershowing the guiding spring in the position occupied when the backingstrip and labels are being threaded through the machine; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

To illustrate one embodiment of my invention I have shown in thedrawings a label dispenser comprising a "the frame which consists of abase member 10 having a hollow casing upstanding therefrom to receivethe supply of labels. This casing comprises front and rear walls 11 and12 and side walls '13 and 14.

Upon the rear wall 12 of the device are provided a plurality of spacedribs 15 and likewise upon the front wall are provided a similar numberof spaced ribs 16. A plate-like partition 17 of sheet metal or similarmaterial is mounted in the casing, the front and rear edges of which aredisposed within the spaces between the ribs 15 and 16 so that thismember may be adjusted laterally of the casing as required by the widthof the labels on the supply roll. When it is desired to adjust thepartition, it will be Withdrawn from the casing and again inserted in adifferent position. Ribs 18and 19 may project inwardly from'each of theside walls13 and 14 so as to locate the supply roll of labels in theproper position.

The plate '17 is provided with a projecting pin20 upon which may besuspended a supply roll of labels mounted upon a backing strip, the rollbeing designated at 21, the backing strip at 22, and the labels at 23,the latter adhering lightly to the upper surface of the backing strip.

As illustrated, the forward portion 25 of the casing projects upwardlyfrom the remainder thereof, and adjacent its upper end a shaft or arborZ6 is secured in the Walls 13 and. A roller 27 is rotatably mounted uponthis shaft in a position so that its surface will be spaced slightlyfrom the inner surface of the front wall 11, as shown in FIG. 5, and aswill be apparent from FIGS. 1 and 5 the backing strip and labels passbelow the roller 27 and between the latter and the adjacent surface ofthe front wall 11 of the casing, the'backing strip being turneddownwardly with a sharp bend over the upper edge 30 of the wall 11 sothat the labels willbe stripped therefrom.

In order to provide for the sharp bending of the backing strip over theedge 30 as the backing strip is drawn from the machine, it is desirableto provide guiding means forwardly of the front wall 11 of the casing soas to hold the strip in close juxtaposition to the outer surface of thiswall. For this purpose a coil spring 31 is provided, and the ends ofthis spring are secured at 32 and 33 to the shaft or arbor 26 externallyof the Walls 13 and 14. The spring 31 is normally lightly stretchedbetween the two points of securement and thus maintains the backingstrip 22 close to the outer surface of the wall 11.

A shelf-like member 34 may be provided on the wall 11, as shown moreparticularly in FIGS. 1 and 5, so that the backing strip 22 will be heldin a position spaced from this wall in order that it may be readilygrasped by the fingers of the operator to be pulled from the supply roll21.

In the use of the device, when it is desired to place a roll of labelsin the machine the roll-supporting member or partition 17 is withdrawnfrom the casing and the supply roll placed upon the pin 20. To permitthis to be done the upper front edge of the member 17 may be beveled orcut away, as shown at 35. The member 17 is then replaced in properposition in the casing and the end of the backing strip and strip oflabels is passed below the roller 27 and between it and the front wall11 of the casing. Prior to this the guide spring 31 has been moved fromits full-line position shown in FIG. 5 to the dotted-line position shownin this figure (which is the fullline position of the spring shown inFIG. 4) which, as the spring may be easily stretched, may be readilydone and the backing strip and label strip pulled upwardly above theedge 30 of the wall 11.

The spring 31 is now pulled over the edge 30 and replaced in itsfull-line position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

This draws the free end of the supply strip downwardly,

3 bending it sharply over the edge 30, to a position forwardly of thewall 11.

If the backing strip 22 is'now drawn from the machine, the labels willbe stripped therefrom and extend in an upward position, as shown at 23in FIGS. 1 and 2, where they may be readily grasped for application tothe package or other article to be labeled. If the label 23 is en- 4. Alabel-dispensing machine for dispensing labels tirely stripped from thebacking strip, it may fall forwardly to the position shown at 213*- inFIG; 5 Whereit will rest upon the spring 30 and be prevented therebyfrom again adhering to the backing strip.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it willbe understood that it is not to b limited to all of the details shown,but i capable of modification and variation within the spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A label-dispensing machine for dispensing labels mounted on andadhering to a backing strip by the sharp bending of the backing strip,said machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a'supplyroll of labels adhering to a backing strip, a member having a projectingedge over which the strip may be bent to strip the labels therefrom,guide members on each side of said member adjacent the edge thereof toeffect bending of the strip about said edge as it is drawn from theroll, one of said guide members being movably. supported from the frame,the last-mentioned member being movable to an out-of-the-w'ay positionto facilitate threading of the strip through the machine.

-2. A label-dispensing machine for dispensing labels mounted on andadhering to a backing strip by the sharp bending of the backing strip,said machine comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a supplyroll of labels adhering to a backing strip, a member having a projectingedge over which the strip may be bent to strip the labels therefrom,guide members on each side of said member adjacent the edge thereof toeffect bending of the strip about said edge as it is drawn fromthe'roll, the guide member on the side of said first-named memberopposite the supply roll being swingably supported from the frame, thelast-mentioned guide member being swingable over said projecting edge tofacilitate threading of the strip through the machine.

and the guide member on theside of said first-named member opposite thesupply roll comprising a coiled spring secured at its ends to saidfirst-named member and being movable over the projecting, edge to anout-of-theway position to facilitate the threading of the strip throughthey machine.

comprising a frame, means thereon for supporting a supply roll of labelsadhering to a backing strip, a member having a projecting edge overwhich the strip may be bent to strip the labels therefrom, a rollerpositioned adjacent said member and spaced inwardly from the edgethereof to hold the strip against said member, a coiled spring upon theother side of said member to hold the strip adjacent that side of themember and effect the bending of the strip about said edge as it isdrawn from the roll, and said spring being swingably supported from theframe and movable over the edge of said member to a position adjacentsaid roller to facilitate threading the strip through the machine.

5. A label-dispensing machine as in claim 4 wherein said roller isrotatably mounted on a shaft secured in the frame and the ends of saidspring are secured to said shaft. 7

6. A label dispenser for dispensing labels mounted on and adhering to abacking strip, said dispenser comprising a hollow casing open at the topand adapted to support therein a supply roll of labels mounted on thebacking strip, said casing having a front Wall providing an upwardlyprojecting edge over which the backing strip may be bent, a guide rollerrotatably mounted in the casing adjacent said Wall and at a positionbelow said edge thereof to guide the backing strip in a path closelyadjacent the inner face of said wall, a coiled spring mounted at theouter face of said wall to hold the backing strip closely thereto afterit has been bent over said edge, and said spring being movable over saidedge to a position adjacent said roller to facilitate threading thebacking strip through the machine.

7. A label dispenser comprising a casing having front and rear Wallsprovided with laterally spaced vertical ribs on theirv inner surfaces,the frame having a forward label exit portion and having rearwardlyextending spaced side walls providing therebetween a chamber for thereceipt of a supply roll of labels, said ribs on the front wall being inopposing relation to the ribs on the rear wall, the ribs on the wallsforming vertical spaces therebetween, the frame having means on thefrontand rear ends underlying said spaces to provide an abutment andrest for a roll support extending between the front and rear walls, andan upwardly removable plate-like roll support selectively received inopposing ones of said spaces between the ribs to tend to center the rollwith respect to said exit portion in accordance with the width of thelabels, the roll support having laterally projecting means thereon tosupport the supply roll in close proximity to one planar face of thesupport.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,473,376 Langenzen Nov. 6, 1923 2,747,807 Hummel May 29, 1956 j2,912,140

Cole Nov. 10,1959

